It doesn’t shock me that this was protested, but the truth is this is a movie that is inspired on Noah from the Book of Genesis, not a verse by verse true story. This is also a well-crafted, visually stunning film that gives us Russell Crowe’s best performance since 2000’s Gladiator. Now I know some of you will believe that’s blasphemy.

Crowe is Noah, a family man that was chosen by a being known as The Creator to build an ark for all the animals of the world because through many haunting dreams where Noah finds himself witnessing an apocalyptic flood that will wipe out all of humanity. Along the way to building the hallowed ark, he’s given mysterious clues from his grandfather, Methuselah played by the always polished Anthony Hopkins. When you hear Hopkins speak, you are hanging on his every word. He talks about how Noah will receive help from the fallen angels that have been turned into deformed rock creations. For the new school crowd that call them rock transformers, you miss the ENTIRE point of them. These creations show an ugliness that only can be forgiven by the Creator by helping Noah accomplish his mission.

Director Darren Aronofsky is not afraid to join with his co-writer Ari Handel to add side stories into it by bringing up that the definition of Man is about to be punished for their vain opinion by choosing selfishly when he as a man chooses when they live and die. The king of this philosophy is Cain played devilishly by the charismatic heavy-voiced Ray Winstone. The wickedness of Man is unapologetic showing in it’s disgusting sickness. After you see how this man runs things, you will be counting down the minutes to the infamous flood to wipe them out.

Meanwhile, Noah’s sons have their own agenda. The richest and mysterious was Ham (played by Logan Lerman) Ham could careless about his father’s agenda and believes in Cain’s way of life. Shem (played by Douglas Booth) has fallen in love with Emma Watson’s Ila. It’s sort of forbidden in a way and Watson knows how to hold her own around the talent she’s revolved around. Plus, Naameh, played winningly by Jennifer Connelly who starts to question her husband’s actions and try to keep her beliefs intact. Ironically with all these side stories, it never felt shoehorned or overwhelming. On account of Handel and Aronofsky’s writing. They did their Biblical homework on this, the writing sounds like it’s out of the book itself, but keep in mind that only some of it is. Ah, the creativity.

The casting is the key component to keeping everything grounded especially with Crowe. His delivery is incredibly in depth with the material. At times, he sounds inspiring, sociopathic, selfish and even scary at times. Especially when he has issues keeping all his thoughts intact. Like Hopkins, when Crowe speaks to Cain. You are glued to the screen and goose bumps up your arm as he dominates Cain verbally and physically.

Cinematography and camerawork is stunning and thought-provoking. Using many handheld and close up shots, zooming out when the flood approaches and the battles begin, revolving shots during the hand to hand battles and the best shot is when he uses stop motion because it’s where the film really shines.

Verdict: A+

For once, Noah knew from the start that the story from the Book of Genesis was the framework for Aronofsky’s interpretation that’s makes good use of it’s special effects and turns into an adventure that is at times creepy, thrilling and overall leave you speechless as you exit. Noah is the best film of the year so far and you’d agree if you saw it for what I did. Entertainment.